Everyone knows what a horrible feeling it is to have the toilet overflow and see water coming out of the toilet, spilling across the floor. It is even worse if you have just used the toilet and the contents of the toilet are rising to the top of the bowl. It is at this time that you run to grab the toilet plunger and furiously plunge at the toilet to clear the clog. Thankfully, the clog clears, and the toilet flushes and you are safe… this time. Sometimes people are just not that lucky. They flush the toilet, and the water floods their bathroom and can run down walls and to lower floors. How can you prevent clogs from happening in the first place? Here are some ways to avoid clogs and avoid the trauma of an overflowing toilet and clogged drains in the bathroom:
Do Not Put Grease Down the Drain
One thing that should never be put down any drain is grease. Your toilet is a disposal for organic waste, not grease. The main issue is that cold water causes grease to become solid right away. When you have a lot of grease, it can clog the toilet right where the toilet sits on the floor and connects to down pipes. Grease builds up on the inside of your pipes and as this occurs, it will inevitably cause other objects to become trapped which will eventually block of the entire flow of water.
Do Not Use Your Toilet as a Garbage Disposal
People seem to think that they can flush whatever they want down the toilet because it has a large hole and drain and because the water flow is quicker. On occasion you could get away with doing this but doing it on a regular basis will lead to a clogged toilet. Put any food scraps, whether solid or soft, into your garbage or food scraps bin, they do not belong in the toilet.
Do Not Overuse Toilet Paper
Toilet paper is meant to dissolve but that does not happen right away. If you use too much toilet paper all at once, it will not pass through the P-trap area or the drain in the floor. If you need more paper to finish the job, flush the toilet once to clear the contents and then use more toilet paper and flush the toilet once again. Only use tissue designed for the bathroom – “toilet tissue”, not wipes or paper towel or cloth pieces. You may think this is strange, but people do all kinds of strange things to clog the toilet. Try to be relatively conservative with toilet paper, using only what you need to wipe.
Never Flush Foreign Objects Down the Toilet
Toilets are designed to carry human waste and toilet paper away through the drain. It was not designed to be used as a waste basket. Do not try to flush cotton balls, feminine sanitary products, baby wipes, Q-Tips, cotton swabs, items that do not dissolve, hard items, crayons or toys. Most of these objects will become lodged in the P-trap, causing a blockage that will cause other items to become lodged and eventually will cause the toilet to overflow. The items that are causing the blockage must be removed to clear the blockage so that the toilet can once again flush properly.
Close the Lid on Your Toilet Wen it is not in use
Foreign objects will clog your toilet and it is usually a small toy if you have young children. There is nothing more fun for a small child than putting things into the toilet and trying to flush them. The best way to deal with this is to close the lid on the toilet when it is not being used. This will prevent objects from getting into the toilet including a comb, a toothbrush or toys. Sometimes things are accidentally dropped into the toilet, so keeping the lid closed can be the best preventative measure. Children should not be left unsupervised in the bathroom where they might be tempted to flush foreign objects down the toilet.
Use a Drain Screen
You can purchase special drain screens for your sink and your shower drain. This will collect all the hair that is dropped into the sink or shower from going down into the drain. A good drain screen will prevent most hair from getting into your drain, but not all. Eventually hair will get into the drain and will collect, meaning that you will need to remove it. If you do not have the right tools for this, a plumber can help. A plumber will use a special plastic tool with blades on the edges that will catch and pull at the hair clog, eventually removing it out of the drain. You might be surprised when you see just how much hair gets down the drain and collects down below, causing a massive clog.
If you Have a Serious Clog, Call a Professional
If these tips do not help to prevent clogs in your toilet and drains, or you notice that you are having a slow flow with water, you might have a more serious issue. This could be a clog further down the line which means you need professional help. Professional plumbers have more technical equipment which can clear deep clogs. They also have special camera equipment which can be sent into a drain to explore the source of slow drains or possible clogs. If you have tried to clear a clog yourself and have not had any success, it is time to call in a professional plumber that can take care of the issue for you.
Contact a professional plumber that has the equipment and the experience to deal with serious plumbing issues when they arise. Most plumbers are on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week or can refer you to a plumber that can help you with your emergency. If you have a plumbing issue such as a serious clog, do not wait to deal with it, it will only get worse.
Looking to get drains unclogged in the Sunshine Coast? Try https://refinedplumbingsunshinecoast.com.au/plumbing/blocked-drains/
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